Newark, NJ (2/17/07) –Senior forward STEPHANIE MACHIN (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) scored 10 points and added seven rebounds while junior JESSICA GARRABRANT (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) collected a game-high 14 caroms as Montclair State allowed their lowest point total in seven years with a 43-29 win over Rutgers-Newark on Saturday evening.

MSU, which has won six straight games finishes the regular season at 15-9 overall and 10-3 in the NJAC's North Division. The Red Hawks will now host The College of New Jersey in a first-round NJAC Tournament game on Tuesday, February 20 at Panzer Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm.

It will be the second meeting between the MSU and TCNJ this season with Montclair coming out on top back on December 9, 59-47. It will also mark the second consecutive year in which the two teams will meet in the NJAC Tournament. The Lions recorded a 49-43 victory in the semifinals in 2006 en route to capturing the league crown.

The 29 points allowed by MSU were the fewest it has given up in a game since January of 2000 when the Red Hawks ironically defeated Rutgers-Newark, 61-29.

A tight game through the first nine minutes of the contest, MSU scored six straight points to take 12-6 lead as Machin capped the short run with a jumper. A free throw by FERIN CATLETT (Lawnside, NJ/Haddon Heights) put the lead to 18-10 with 4:45 to play, however the Scarlet Raiders closed out the half with an 8-2 run an trailed, 20-18 at the break.

In the second half , the MSU defense took a stranglehold of the game, limiting Rutgers-Newark to just 11 points and four field goals while outrebounding the home team 28-18.

Rutgers-Newark would tie the game at 20-all with 19:04 left on a layup by Stephanie Ross. The basket would be the last point the Scarlet Raiders would score over the next 12 minutes as MSU countered with a 15-0 run during the span. JACKIE BERRY (Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) began the run with a free throw and a Machin jumper with 17:01 left made the score, 25-20. MARIANNE MCGOVERN (Fair Lawn, NJ/Paramus Catholic) pushed the lead to double-digits, 31-20 midway through the period with a bakset before Catlett finished off the stretch with a layup at 8:40 giving MSU a 35-20 bulge.

Catlett finished with nine points and three rebounds while McGovern added eight points and five rebounds. Garrabrant also had four points as Montclair State outrebounded Rutgers-Newark in the game 45-29, including 32 defensive rebounds as the Red Hawks limited the Scarlet Raiders to very few second-chance opportunities.